Alan’s Muscadine or Scuppernong Grape Jelly

5 lbs muscadine or scuppernong grapes -cleaned (grow your own)
1 package pectin
5-7 cups sugar (about 1.3 cups per cup or juice)
12 jars, lids and rings, 8 ounce

Clean and sterilize the jars and lids. Boil them for 15 minutes, and keep the jars in hot water.

Using your hands, bust or pop the grapes into a large bowl or bucket. Be sure to roll the hull around between your thumb and finger to extract as much of the juice as possible. Keep everything, when you are done you should have juice, hull and pulp.

Place the mixture in a large pot, at least 20 quarts. You could use a 16 but you will have to watch carefully for boil over

Bing the mixture to a boil then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes.

Sieve the grapes through a food mill or a sieve. I have a stainless steel one that I purchased at amazon.com for about $25. Don’t use a food processor, mutilating the seeds adds a sour taste..

Run the mixture through a jelly strainer or some cheese cloth in a colander. If you allow the mixture to filter naturally without squeezing the bag, your jelly will be less cloudy. Be sure to collect the juice in a different container so you can wash your pot for the next step.

Return the strained juice to your clean pot, measuring the juice. You will need to know how much you have to calculate the sugar.

Measure and set aside 1.3 cup of sugar per 1 cup of juice (about 7 cups)

Remove 1/4 cup of sugar from this and mix the dry pectin with it; add to the juice and bring to a full boil, that cannot be stirred away.

One the juice has reached a full boil, add the remaining sugar. Be sure to add it slowly.

Bring the juice back to a full boil and boil for 1 minute.

Fill jar to ¼ inch and process in a water bath for 10 minutes